If summer is all about sunny beach days and lounging by the pool, the cooler weather and the turning of the leaves in the fall call for a different type of vacation entirely. The autumn season in particular seems to be perfectly suited for a cozy small-town getaway. Think a relaxed stroll in a charming downtown, easy access to the outdoors to see all the beautiful hues of fall foliage on a hike or from your car, and perhaps some apple cider to end the day with.
To help you plan just that kind of trip,
we've rounded up the best small towns across the United States for a fall getaway. For this list, we defined a small town as having a population of around 10,000 people or less. Having personally traveled to and lived in different parts of the country, this list of small towns is curated based on a mixture of personal experiences and recommendations from travel forums and social media.
These towns not only offer lovely foliage, but they also tend to host fun festivals throughout the season. The autumn season is indeed full of opportunities to celebrate, from harvest festivals to Oktoberfest to Halloween. Here are the 10 best small towns in the U.S. for a fall vacation that will feel like you're in a Hallmark movie.
Read more: 5 Of The Best Breweries Across Vermont
Breckenridge, Colorado
While this Colorado mountain town is certainly well-known as a winter destination with skiing and a snow sculpture championship, Breckenridge is just as beautiful during the autumn season. There are a number of trails where you can walk among golden aspens. Just keep in mind that because of the climate and elevation, the leaves turn early in Breckenridge, typically peaking in late September. The town also hosts a few festivals in the fall, including Oktoberfest in September, a bluegrass and beer festival, a craft spirits festival, and a Día de Los Muertos celebration.
As an outdoorsy mountain town, there are plenty of hiking and biking trails. The paved Blue River Recreation Path is flat and makes for a nice, easy ride (or walk) along the river, but those looking for more of an adrenaline rush can hit the mountain biking trails instead. Another way to take in the views is to drive the 22-mile-long Boreas Pass.
Most of the lodgings in Breckenridge are mountain lodges and cabins, but one of the newest luxury hotels is Hotel Alpenrock, which offers free shuttle service around town and has a cool little speakeasy. Breckenridge has a population of around 4,800 and has a very walkable downtown full of restaurants and shops. Get a complimentary tasting at Breckenridge Distillery, then grab some pastas from James Beard Award-winning Chet Matt Vawter at Radicato.
Woodstock, Vermont
There's no doubt that New England is one of the best regions in the country for leaf peeping in the fall, and there are many small towns in the area that make for a great getaway. One of the best such towns, though, is Woodstock in Vermont. The town of Woodstock, Vermont, is frequently named as America's Most Beautiful Town, and multiple Redditors say the town is "absolutely gorgeous" in the fall. One of the most iconic images of fall in New England is taken at Sleepy Hollow Farm in Pomfret, just outside of Woodstock.
Woodstock has a charming, historic downtown. In fact, the town was founded in 1761, and the Woodstock Village Historic District (which includes the town center) is listed on the National Register of Historic Places. In addition to the historic architecture around town, you can find picturesque covered bridges, including the 139-foot-long Middle Covered Bridge, which is the most photographed bridge in Woodstock. The town is also home to Vermont's only National Park, Marsh-Billings-Rockefeller National Historic Park, which tells the story of conservation history and offers tours of the Victorian mansion that sits within the park.
Don't skip exploring the surrounding area, especially Queechee Gorge. This is Vermont's deepest gorge, formed by glacial activity around 13,000 years ago. Most visitors enjoy taking the short trail down to the river below. Nearby orchards and farms offer apple picking and pumpkin patches during the harvest season.
Kennebunkport, Maine
A fall getaway in Maine combines New England foliage with ocean views, and one of the best towns for that is Kennebunkport. Kennebunkport is a coastal resort town in Maine that is the summer getaway choice for President George H. W. Bush, as the family has an estate there. The foliage that New England is known for is particularly nice with its reflections on the water at this seacoast town, yet the autumn season is much less crowded than summer, making it a wonderful time for a quieter vacation in the state.
Are you really in Maine if you're not enjoying the seafood? While many of Maine's lobster shacks close after summer ends, you can actually still get plenty of lobsters, and fall is when oysters are at their peak quality. Kennebunkport is also one of the best places to see wildlife in Maine, from dolphins to birds, and many hibernating wildlife become more active during this season.
Kennebunkport offers plenty of family-friendly activities. Families with young kids can hop on a trolley to a pumpkin patch on October weekends and check out the Seashore Trolley Museum while you're at it. It's the first and largest electric railway museum in the world and train lovers are sure to have a blast there. There are orchards in the surrounding area where you can go apple picking.
Blowing Rock, North Carolina
The Blue Ridge Parkway is called America's favorite drive, and it is particularly colorful in the fall. The parkway is 469 miles long and goes from Virginia to North Carolina. A great place to stay while doing this drive is Blowing Rock, North Carolina, which pretty much sits at the midpoint of the parkway. Instagrammer @nceatsplay calls Blowing Rock one of her top three places in the entire state of North Carolina, stating that Blowing Rock is "Hallmark movie perfection all year long but truly comes alive in the fall."
Blowing Rock's downtown village has been named one of the most walkable in the area, and it is filled with boutique shops, art galleries, and restaurants. The area hosts events like Oktoberfest, apple festivals, Autumn Art in the Park, and county fairs, so you'll likely encounter some fun activities during your visit. There are also family-friendly activities around Halloween, including a ride on a Ghost Train and a Halloween festival complete with a costume parade.
Blowing Rock offers more than just a cute downtown. There's a lot to explore outdoors as well. Don't miss a bird's eye view of the fall colors from nearby Grandfather Mountain, especially from its Mile High Swinging Bridge, which hangs above an 80-foot chasm. For something even more thrilling, visit High Gravity Adventures for zipline tours and a four-story Giant Swing.
Mystic, Connecticut
The Connecticut town Mystic's claim to fame is the fact that the 1988 film, Mystic Pizza, featuring Julia Roberts in her breakout role, is inspired by an actual pizza parlor there. But Mystic is not just about this pizza spot with a Hollywood connection. Redditors say Mystic is the place to go if you're looking for that "coastal New England feel." Blogger Kristy & New England also named Mystic one of her five favorite Connecticut towns to visit in the fall.
The town is separated by the Mystic River, where you can go kayaking. While you can typically go on a drive or a hike to see the fall foliage, Mystic offers a different way to go leaf peeping: on a river cruise. Local boat operators offer fall foliage boat tours on the Mystic River during the season, and it's certainly a lovely and leisurely tour. The town is also home to the oldest steam-powered cider mill in the whole country, so what better place is there to get some apple cider and donuts?
When you're not leaf peeping or eating cider donuts, walk around Olde Mistick Village, which was designed to look like a 1720s colonial village and has various shops and restaurants. There are haunted tours and scarecrows will decorate the village, but Mystic also celebrates Halloween a little differently: with a witch paddle — just remember to BYOB (bring your own boat).
Townsend, Tennessee
The Great Smoky Mountains National Park is one of my favorite places to see fall foliage, as the park is full of yellow birch, red maple trees, and more that put on a colorful display in autumn. That said, I'm not personally a fan of the two main gateways to the national park, Gatlinburg and Pigeon Forge, which feel too touristy for my taste. I recommend you head instead to the small, wildly underrated, laid-back town of Townsend, Tennessee (population: less than 600 people).
Townsend was established in 1795 and offers plenty of opportunities for outdoor recreation. Of course, there are trails in the national park itself. You can even go on a guided horseback riding tour through Cades Coves Stables. There are also plenty to do outside the park. Mountain bikers should check out the trail network at Vee Hollow.
If the weather is still warm enough, go tubing on Little River. Otherwise, try your hand at fly fishing instead. The adventure isn't limited to what's above ground. Visit the underground at Tuckaleechee Caverns, which is estimated to be 20 to 30 million years old. In town, there are a couple of museums you can check out. The Great Smoky Mountains Heritage Center is a museum that houses archaeological artifacts found in the area, while you can explore locomotives and old engines at the Little River Railroad and Lumber Company Museum.
Nevada City, California
California may not be the first state that comes to mind when we're talking about fall getaways, but the mountain towns (especially in Northern California) have both the drop in temperature and the types of trees that produce beautiful colors. One of these towns you should visit is Nevada City, located 2500 feet above sea level in the Sierra Foothills, and one of the best places in California for autumn views. You can see the colors changing on the red maple trees that are planted around the Victorian-era neighborhoods or at the historic cemeteries for both colors and some spooky Halloween vibes.
Nevada City is a historic Gold Rush town that was booming in the 1850s and home to one of the oldest hotels in the state, The National Exchange Hotel, which was originally opened in 1956 (don't worry, it's been lovingly restored as a boutique hotel). Even if you're not staying there, you can check out the historic architecture by visiting the restaurant or bar.
The cooler weather in the fall makes it a good time to hike on one of the beautiful trails around Nevada City, like the Deer Creek Tribute Trail, which you can access via a short walk from downtown. After the hike, go on a wine tasting at one of the wineries in town. Alternatively, get in a spooky spirit and take a haunted tour through this historic town.
Sleepy Hollow, New York
Multiple Redditors recommend Sleepy Hollow, especially for a Halloween-focused getaway. Sleepy Hollow was originally called North Tarrytown, but it was renamed because of the town's close connection to "The Legend of Sleepy Hollow." The short story's author, Washington Irving, lived near Tarrytown at an estate called Sunnyside. Irving's fictional story actually mentions real places in what is now Sleepy Hollow, New York, including the Headless Horseman Bridge. The old, wooden bridge described in the story is gone, however, and replaced by a concrete bridge, but the spot is acknowledged with a sign.
Of course, the town has fully embraced the story, in addition to adopting the name. During the Halloween season, there will be 7000 illuminated pumpkins in town, and there are multiple ghost tours offered. Travelers will also be able to get a nighttime tour of the Gothic Lyndhurst Mansion and special ghost-focused tours of the Armour-Stiner Octagon House. The Headless Horseman himself is known to make appearances around this time of year.
Beyond all the Halloween-related things, Sleepy Hollow and neighboring Tarrytown also have beautiful Gilded Age-era mansions worth touring. The Rockefeller Estate, Kykuit, houses quite the art collection, from Andy Warhol to Picasso. The Sleepy Hollow Cemetery is the final resting place for many famous figures, such as Andrew Carnegie, William Rockefeller, and, of course, Washington Irving.
Petoskey, Michigan
Most travelers think of the lake towns in Michigan as a summer destination, but Michigan is also a great destination for people looking to see the changing of colors in the fall, especially the northern part of the state. Multiple members in a Michigan road trip discussion group recommend Petoskey as one of the best towns in Michigan to visit during the fall season. Petoskey sits on the shores of Lake Michigan, specifically on Little Traverse Bay, which is the deepest harbor in the lake, and the peak foliage is estimated to occur between the second and third week of October.
The area has a number of scenic drives, including the Tunnel of Trees, a 20-mile drive along the shoreline with numerous cute places to stop on the way. Visit one of the fourteen wineries in the Petoskey Wine Region and see the colors changing on the grapevines as well. Or, visit SkyBridge Michigan at nearby Boyne Mountain Resort for one of the best views the area has to offer.
In town, explore Petoskey's Gaslight District, a historic shopping district that still houses many independent shops and art galleries. Appreciate the works of local artists at Crooked Tree Arts Center or check out one of the many events that are happening in Petoskey throughout the season.
Ellijay, Georgia
Ellijay is called the Apple Capital of Georgia, and the town hosts the Apple Festival every October, making this the perfect place for those who want to go apple picking at one of the many surrounding orchards. It can be hard to choose an orchard to visit here, as they all have something special to offer in addition to apple picking. For example, Hillcrest Orchards hosts pig races on September and October weekends, while kids can shoot apples out of a cannon at B. J. Reece Orchards.
The area where Ellijay sits now was once a Cherokee village and trade center, so there's a lot of history to the area. You can see some of this storied past in the historic buildings that remain, including the Tabor House Museum, built in the 1870s. Travel advisor Samantha Betterly recommended Ellijay on an Instagram post as one of the "small towns with big fall vibes." In addition to apples, Ellijay is known for its antique shops, so plan to do some shopping and thrifting here.
Redditor goose-de-terre says that towns like Ellijay "have some of the prettiest drives and hikes in the country," so be sure to get in the car and hit the road. Some of these scenic drives include the 40-mile Russell-Brasstown Scenic Driveway. When you're not driving, there are wineries and breweries in the area you can explore.
Methodology
The above list was curated based on a combination of my personal travel experiences and recommendations found on various travel forums, blogs, and social media. I lived in Boston for four years and explored the New England area every fall season while I was there. I have also visited the Great Smoky Mountains in the fall. When looking at online recommendations, I focused on towns mentioned by multiple people and made sure to include places from different regions of the United States.
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Read the original article on Islands.
